Explosive compound engine.



No. 881,214. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908. B. J. WOOLF. EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND ENGINE.

APPLIOATIO 1 LED 2.1907.

R l 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 881,214. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908.

B. J. woonr.

BXPLOSIVB COMPOUND ENGINE. Arnmuml run In. a. 1001.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQF.

llLLlH .l. \VUULl", ()F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNUR TO THE \YOOLF VALVE GEAR COMPANY, 01 MINNEAPOLIS, AllNNblS(,)'l.-\, A (OftlfjlK-VFION Of MINNESOTA.

EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 10, 1908.

Application filed March 2, 1907. Serial No. 860,148.

To all whom it may concern:

Minneapolis, Minnesota, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, 1n the county of l'lennepm and State of Minnesota,

have invented certain new and useful lmouter and inner differential spaces both opengines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of provements in Explosive Compound Enthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its especial object to provide an improved explosive compound engine of the kind or class wherein the elastic fluid becomes available for coincident expansion f the common volume thereof in the cot) )eratin cylinders,all rendered effective on t he cran s.

To this end, in invention consists of the novel features 0 construction hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like notations refer to like parts throughout the several views. it must be understood, however, that thcsaid drawings are for illustration only, as the structure may take manifold forms and nevertheless embody and utilize the invention.

licfcrring to said drawingsy-Figurcs l, 2, -t, 5, a and 7 are views partly in section but chiefly in diagram. illustrating different posifions of the parts for tracing the cycle of actions. Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section throughout the entire engine, in the plane of' the crank shaft, serving to illustrate the structure ano showing the position of the moving parts as they would appear when the compounding of the gases begins, this being position It with respect. to the several positions illustrated in the diagrams.

A base casting l, low pressure cylinder casting .2 and high pressure cylinder casting 3 are ri idly secured together with suitably packed oints. Said castings l and .2 are of such construction that, when joined togct-her, they inclosc the. crank shaft. 4 and afford a space, surrounding the crank shaft, which serves as the compression or charging chamber 5 properly packed at the joints between the castings and the crank shaft to prevent the escape of the explosive mixture. lhe crank shaft 4 has a suitable fly wheel ti.

1 i l l l f i l The high pressure cylinder casting 3 is of the proper form to afford a water jacket 7 surrounding the explosion section of the high pressure cylinder. The high pressure cylinder wall is extended into the low pressure casting 2, thereby dividing the same into ing to the charging chamber 5 at their inner or crank shaft ends.

in the high pressure cylinder, is mounted the high pressure piston 8 connected by a rod 9 with the central crank it) of the crank shaft 4. The outer or annular space surrounding the part of the high pressure cylin der casting 3, which projects into the low pressure cylinder casting .2, affords the low pressure cylinder space, and in the same is mounted the low pressure piston 11 of corresponding annular form. lhe low pressure piston 11 is connected by rods 12 to cranks 13 located respectively on opposite sides of the crank 10. The high )ressurc piston 8 is connected to travel in atfvance of the cooperating low pressure. piston 11. As shown, the high pressure piston crank it) is located 105 degrees in advance of the low pressure piston cranks 13. The crank shaft compression or charging chamber 5 is provided with a suitable intake. valve 14, for admitting the explosive mixture into said chamber. The high pressure piston S is of trunk form and 0 ions at its inner end into the charging chamber 5; and in its head, there is mounted a spring seated charging valve 15 controlling the passage of the charge from the chamber 5 into the explosion section of the high pressure cylindcr.

The explosion section of the high pressure cylinder is )rovidcd with suitable means for exploding f hc charge. The igniter may, of

course, be of any suitable kind. i prefer to .have the sparking plug to thereof centrally located in the head of the explosion cvlinder, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The )art of the high pressure cylinder casting 3 \v iieh projects into the low [)Icsstllt cylinder cast mg 2 is provided with a series of alincd openings l7 separated by bridge walls, which openings afford the low pressure admission port properly located for control by the high pressure piston 8. The said part of the high pressure cylinder casting 3 projecting into the lov. pressure cylinder casting .2 is also provided with a series of openings affording a prelimifltl lflO

high pressure piston has its nary exhaust ort 18 properly located for control by the ow pressure piston 11, to afford a preliminary exhaust from the hi 7h pressure 0 linder, at the time when tie charge is )eing admitted to the explosion section thereof under the com ressing action of the low pressure piston. The high pressure giston 8 is of the proper construction to afl'orr a port 19 encircling the trunk portion of the piston and always in communication with an exhaust pipe 20; and which port 19 is adapted to cooperate with said preliminary exhaust port 18 to afford said preliminary exhaust from the high pressure c linder through the low pressure cylinder am to cooperate with the said low pressure admission or c linder connecting port 17 to afford the fina exhaust from the low ressure cylinder.

The casting 3 is of suitab e construction to afford therein a pump cylinder 21 in which is mounted a pump plun er 22 normally held in its outermost position y a spring 23. The pump 0 Under 21 is in communication with the exp osion chamber of the high pressure cylinder through a small port 24 tap in the pump cylinder at a point above tie read of the pump plunger '22, thereby rendering the explosion pressure available to actuate the plunger against the spring 23. The pump cgkhnder 21 is provided with suitable intake 0 eck valve 25 and outlet check valve 26 the latter being connected by pipe 27, or otherwise, to the water jacket 7.

The water overflow or outlet pipe 28 is located inside the water jacket and is open to receive the water from its highest level in the jacket space and communicates; at its lower end, with an annular ort 29 afl'orded between the castings 2 am 3 by the form thereof, and which port 29, as shown, is artly in the horizontal plane and partly in tlie vertical plane between the said castings and opens, at its inner end, into the low pressure cylinder, directl at the point where the port 17 connects tie two cylinders. The overflow pipe 28, at its deliver end, is fitted with a throttle valve'30. 'l 10 throttle valve 30 is adjustably held by a cap 31 which is recessed to atlord an air chamber 32 opening into the water jacket space above the water level.

The high pressure cylinder is shown as tapped, near its upper end, by a valve control ed admission pipe 33, through which compressed air may be rendered available for starting the explosive engine or throu h which air or steam, under pressure, might e admitted, under the proper control, for operating the engine by air or steam instead of using the same as an explosive engine. The high pressure cylinder casting 3 is shown as fitted with an ordinary relief valve 34. The packing rings applied in the ordinary way. The low pressure piston 11 has its outer packing ring 35 also applied in the ordinary way; but the additional packing rings 36 for the low pressure piston 11 are seated in the intervening c linder wall or downward extension of the lngh pressure cylinder casting, which disposition of these packing rings 36 enables them to be of the ordinary snap ring ty )e. The lubrication is efiected in any SllltiLlJlG pcration. All the parts of the illustrated engine have now been specified. The ofperation will now be traced, with a view 0 rendering more distinct the new actions which result from the invention herein disclosed. Let it be assumed that an explosive mixture has been admitted, compressed and ignited, in the explosion section of the high pressure cvlinder, and that the hi h pressure piston is about to begin its wor'ing stroke. Then, all the mrts will be in the position illustrated in the iagram Fig. 1; from an inspectionof which it will be seen that the low pressure admission or cylinder connecting port 17 will now be in communication with the exhaust )ort 19 of the high pressure piston, with t e linal exhaust in progress from the low pressure cylinder, the low pressure piston 11 being 105 degrees of its cranks travel behind the crank of the high pressure piston; and this relationship will continue, with the final exhaust still in rogress, until the piston cranks have traveled degrees, whereupon all the parts will be in the-position shown in diagram Fig. 2. In this position, shown in diagram 2, the high pressure piston has cut oil the connecting port 17, thus closing the low pressure cylinder to compression therein. This compression in the low pressure c vlinder then continues for 30 degrees more of the cranks travel, which will bring the parts into the position shown in Fig 23, or the-point, at which the low pressure piston 11 has completed its compression stroke and the high pressure piston 8 is about to uncover the low pressure admission or cylinder connecting port 17, thereby permitting the gases to be- 'in to operate expansively on both pistons. his coincident expansion of the common volume of the gases in both c 'linders will then continue for 75 degrees o the cranks travel from the position shown in Fig. 3, thereby bringing the parts into the position shown in the diagram Fig. 4. at which time the high pressure )iston has completed its working stroke and is about to begin its return stroke. The expansion will then continue in the low iressure c 'linder for 30 derces more of tie cranks travel, thereby ringing the parts into the position shown in the diagram Fig. 5, at wlnch instant the low pressure piston is about to uncover the preliminary exhaust port 18, for cot'iperation with the exhaust port 11) in the high pressure priston 8 to allord a preliminary exhaust om the high pressure cylinder. During this time, that the parts are moving from the lit) position shown in Fig. 4 to the ition shown in Fig. 5, only the differential area between the two iseffective on the crank shaft, but owing to the 'way in which the two pistons are connected up, as hitherto noted, and the effect of the a larities of their connecting rods, the hig pressure piston will, durin this interval, be moving at substantially its lowest rate of speed, and the low pressure ton at substantially its highest rate of speed; so that the 30 degrees of the cranks travel, during which time the differential area only of the pistons is effective, is only about 5% of the high pressure pistons return stroke.

The preliminary exhaust which begins when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5, continues for substantially 45 degrees of the cranks travel, or until the parts are brought into the isition shown in diagram Fig. 6; and, during the same time, the charging valve 15 is opened and a new charge forced into the explosion section of the high pressure cylinder, under the coin ressing action of the low pressure piston on t 0 mixture within the crank shaft compression or ch 'ng chamber 5. When the parts have reac d the position shown in the diagram Fig. 6, the connecting port 17 will be cutoff, from the low pressure cylinder, by the high pressure piston 8, thus closing the high pressure cylinder to compression therein; and, during the next 30 degrees travel of the cranks, the low ressure piston 11 completes its working stro e and the high pressure piston comes into position where it is about to open the connecting port 17 to the piston port 19, for effecting t 0 final exhaust, or in other words the parts will be in the isition shown in diagram Fi 7. During t e next 75 de of the cranks travel from the sition own in Fig. 7, the final exhaust om the low pressure cylinder and the compression in t e high pressure cylinder continues, until the arts reach the original or starting position a own in diagram l\o. l.

The explosive mixture-is drawn through the intake valve 14 into the charging chamber 5, during the return or upward strokes of the two pistons. In view of the way in which the two pistons are connected up to their res )ective cranks, and the relative areas of t e two pistons, this suction action on the chamber 5 will have been completed and the compression therein be about to begin when the parts have reached the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawin In the further downward movement of the two pistons under the effect of the expanding gases thereon, the two pistons cooperate to compress the mixture in the char ing chamber until the parts come into t e position shown in Fig. 4; and then, the compression in the charging chamber 5 will continue, under the action of the low pressure piston ,11, after the high pressure piston begins its return stroke, an so continue until the parts come into the position shown in Fig.

5. When the parts reach the position shown in Fig. 5, the preliminary exhaust port 18 begins to open, as hitherto notcd, and reinains open until the parts come into the position shown in Fig. 6, and during this interval, while the parts move from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 6, the continued downward movement of the low pressure piston ll forces the charge through the charging valve 15 into the explosion section of the high prcssurc cylinder; and, as this occurs at the time when the displacement within the low lpressure cylinder equals its compression on t is mixture in the charging chain )er 5, it is possible to force the charge into the explosion cylinder at a coinparativcly low pressure. it follows that a maximum charge can be secured in the explosion chamber with slight basc compression losses.

Having regard now to the injection of water into the partially expanded gases, lot it be assumed that the pump cylinder, the water jacket and all the water circulating connections are loaded with a char e of water. Then let it further be assumed that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, or in other words, that an explosion has just taken lace. Then under the effect of said explosion, the 'pum plunger 22 is forced downward, against its retracting s ring 23, thereby forcing the water from t ic pump c-vlinder into the water jacket 7, where it absorbs the heat units radiatcd from thc explosion cylinder and, under the same impu so from the pump, a portion of the u )per strata or highest temperature water will be forced into the air chamber 32,.and another portion thereof into the overflow )ipc 2S and past the throttle valve 30 and through the water port 29 into the low pressure cylinder and throu 'h the cylinder connecting port 17. Then, uni er the effect of tho comprcsscd air in the air chamber 32, the high tcmpcraturc water will continue to be forced through the overflow ipe .28, past the throttle 3H and through t ic port 29, into the connecting port 17, after the parts have reached thc position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, or, in othcr words, after the high pressure iiston uncovers the connecting port I? and the compounding action bcg us. The prcssulcsfoicd m the air within the air chamber 32 was of course forced up to substantially that of the explosion pressure, under tlic action of the pump plunger; and, hcnce, it will be suflicicnt to continue the injection of thc water into the gases against the back pressure therefrom. The pump, thc air chamher and the throttle opening are so proportioned as to insure. the injection of water into the gases, on their passage from the high to or that portion thereof affording haust cavity or port 10 and wil the low pressure cylinder, throughout the whole time that the connecting port 17 is uncovered durin the working stroke of both pistons. It ollows that the heat units radiated from the explosion cylinder into the water jacket will be reconverted into work and rendered effective on both pistons; or otherwise stated, the hot water which is injected into the gases, on their passage from the high to the low pressure 0 linder, is there converted into steam, the e astic force of which is added to the force of the other gases. It will be seen that a portion of the water is injected into the low )ressure cylinder and connecting port, before the high pressure piston uncovers the said connecting port; or otherwise stated, in the interval while the parts are moving from the position shown in Fig. 1 into the position shown in Fig. 3, or during the time that the low pressure piston is making its return or exhaustin stroke. Hence it follows that the water w llCll enters during this interval will spread all over the low pressure ci'linder walls and piston and all over the big] pressure piston the exthereby be brought against the inside surface of the hi h pressure cylinder wall, thus becoming e active to take up the heat units therefrom and cool all of these parts. The water thus thrown by the reciprocating action of the high pressure piston on the inside surface of the explosion cylinder wall will be largely carried back b the packing rings, but some thereof will adliere to the walls and come in contact with the intense heat within the explosion cylinder as it is uncovered b the movement of the high pressure piston d iiring -its explosion stroke, and the first water coming into contact with something like 3000 degrees of heat will either be decomposed, or be converted into highly superheated steam, and thereby be rendered more cfl'ective in its expansive action on the piston, and thereafter there will be continuously enerated a layer of steam vapor interposet between the centrally inclosed intense heat and the said cvlindcr wall, thus preventing excessive radiation thcrcthrough.

It will be recalled that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 7 of the diagrams, the high pressure piston is aboutto uncover the conncctin r port to the final exhaust pipe, and that the larger low pressure )iston is about to begin its return or exhausting stroke. It is therefore evident that a condenser might be connected directly to this exhaust pi )0, without valves or other mechanism. and )e operative to make its partial vacuum effective throughout the arger portion of the low )ressure pistons return or exbaustin stroke, thus converting the heat units bel ow atmospheric pressure and temperature into work.

the direct action of said low What I claim is:

1. A compound explosive engine having its high pressure piston connected to travel in advance of the cooperating low pressure piston, and a charging chamber su )ject to com ressing action of both of said pistons for orcing a charge into the explosion cylinder, substantially as described.

2. A compound explosive engine having its high pressure piston connected to trave in advance of the cooperating low lpressure )iston, a connecting port controller by the iigh pressure piston to admit the gas from the high to the low pressure cylinder and to effect the final exhaust from the latter, a )ort controlled by the low pressure piston to eil'cct a preliminary exhaust from the high )ressure cvlinder, and a chargim chamber su iject to ircssure piston for forcing a charge into Stllt high pressure cylinder coincident with the preliminary exhaust therefrom.

3. A compound explosive engine havin its )istons connected to a common crank shaft in a common charging chamber, with its high pressure piston connected to travel in advance of the cooperating low pressure iston, and means for admittnu the charge rom said charging chamber to the high pressure or explosion cylinder under the compressin action thereon of both of said pistons, su istantially as described.

4. A compound explosive engine havin its istons connected to a common cran' shaft in a common charging chamber, with its high pressure piston connected to travel in advance of the cooperating low pressure )iston, means affording a preliminary exhaust from the high iressure explosion cylinder, and means for admitting the charge from the charging chamber to the explosion cylinder under the compressing action thereon of the low pressure piston coincident with said )reliminary exhaust, substantially as desert )ed.

5. A compound explosive engine having its high pressure piston connected to travel in advance of the coi'iperating low pressure piston, a low pressure admission port controlled by the high pressure-piston. a preliminary exhaust port controlled by the low )ressure piston, and an exhaust port in the iigh pressure piston, which, under the movement of said piston, cooperates alternately with said preliminarv exhaust port and with said low pressure admission port to cfl'ect a preliminary and a final exhaust, substantially as described.

0. A compound explosive engine havin its )istons connected to a common crank shaft in a common charging chamber, with its high pressure piston connected to travel in advance of the cooperating low pressure piston, a low pressure admission port controlled by the high prcssure piston, a prepressure from said charging chamber coin- 10 cident with said prelnmnary exhaust, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELLIS J. W001 F. Witnesses JAB. F. WILLIAMsON, F. D. MERCHANT. 

